Automobile driving-gear.



J.- AmTtrRIoll. AUTOMOBILE DRIVING GBB., APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 28,1910.

' Pt'ented ,July 16', 1912.

2 SHEETS-ausm 1.

J'. HETTRIGH. y AUTOMOBILE DRIVINGl GEAR. APRLIUATIUN'HLED.snmze, 1910.

I. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JOHN' HEE'TRICH, 0F LINCQLN', NEBRASKA,

noaenoa.

Speciication of Letters Patent. v Patented July 16, 1912.

implication filer). ticptember 2S, 1910'. Serial No. 584,316.

To all whom i may erinnern:

Be it known that l, donn llinrzrnicu, a citizenfoi the United States., and a 'resident of l'jincoln, county ot' Lancaster, and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new end -nset'nl improvements in li.ntornobiha4 Driv ingofiears, oi which the oliowing is n speciication.

My invciition an improveinen'tin automobile driving gear, :and consists inV certain e novel constructions, and combinations' of parte, hereinafter described'and claimed.'

The object of the invention lato provide a direct driving connection between the mo- '15 tor and the wheels, eo connected that there will. be no interference Y with the steering meohanism, and whereinV the diderential connection ot the wheels is. independent' of the axles.

Referring to the draw/inge forming e part hereof. Figure 1 is a plan view ot a vehicle provided with the improvement. Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig. 3 is a face view o a wheel, and, Fig. 4i is a vertical section of the` connection between the front axle and one of the Wheel spindles.

Each axle bod?,Y 4 .is provided at each end with a 'spindle 5, pivoted to the axle fer swinging movement on a vertical axis, and. the -wheels f5 are jonrnaied on the spindles.`

Each end of the bod f ot the axleis 3ro-I vided' with an integral fork 3, each arm-"1 of which is provided with a vertical bearing 8, in aiinenient with the bearing of the other arm. provided with an integral bearing sleeve 9,

arranged between the arms 7, and in aline` nient with the bearings B of the said arms. A .bushing l() iapasscd through Ithe alined A bearingathe upper end ot thebushing haw inge lateral marginal flange 11,1'esting upon vthe upper tace ol the upper arm 7, and is v of such length that the lower end extends Theadjacent end p of the spindle. is

the pinion will always mesh with the ring;l whatever they position of the wheel.

Apcounter shaft 1S)a is journaled trans versely of the struts 15 .in bearings 19, and a sleeve or hollow shaft is journaled on the and 18 connected at their adjacent vends by a-dii'ierential gearing 3510i usual form. A bevel pinion 20 is secured to the outer end of each Section and meshes with a bevel gear wheel 2l near the upper end of the adjacent shaft l2. A cross bar 22 is supported above 'the rear laxle by similar struts Q3, and a countershaft isjonrnaled on the struts. A 'sleeve consisting of sections 24. and 24 is journaled on the shaft. lhevinLcends ot' the sectionsl are connected by' a diiierential earing 36, and the outer end of each section .is provided with a bevel pinion 26, which 4lfneshes withfa bevel gear wheel 27, on a on the cross bar 22 ,and .onl the rear axle.

lpinion BO `whiohmeshes with a gear ring 31, on the inner Vface ofthe'adjacent rear Wheel. It will be evident that .the arrangement at the rear lwheels .is the saine .as that ot' Vthe front Wheels, 'and that both axleszare solid instead of being'divided. i The diilerential ,gearing connection between the shaft sections is of usual. construction, end ieentirel independent of the axle, so that the seid ax es'are not weakened. The Arnottafl of any .usual or desired construction is provided with the usual shat 33, extending rearwardly, and provided with a pinion 34, rneehing` with thek dierentelr gearing' of the front axle. A secthe` `shaft 38, and -is providedv at each end with a pinion 38, 39, respectively, the pinion .meshing 2with the diiierential 35 of thefront axle, and the pinion 39 vwith' the dif# erential 36 ofthe rear axle. The said shaft 37 is supportedl in suitable' bearings 40 'on the frame. l I

Each of the'spindles 5 is'provided with a .arms of `the spindlesofeach axle are connecteclby a link. 42, A ysteerin 'shaft 43 is journaled in bearings on .the rame near ,eachaxle and provided with an arm 45, connected by Va link 46 with 'one of the arms 45.-

.v is turned by vrneans ofk the hand wheel 47,

vertical shaft 28, journaled inl bearings 29,.

Each of the shafts 28 is provided with .a

ond shaft.- 37, is arranged in aiinement with lateral lugor extention arm 4:1, and the.

VIt will beevident that when the shaft w shaft composed` ot' two alined sections 18 the link Will be moved longitudinally to swing either set of wheels in unison. Any desired form of steering mechanismmay he made use of, as may also any desired or usual form of motor. The improved gearing is especially suitable -for vehicles designed for heavy loads, since the power of 'the motor is applied to the best advantage,

As shown more particularly in Figs. 3`

and 4, each Wheel is provided with two series 48, 49, of gear teeth, bothbeing formed bushing passing onv a ring'O, which ring is secured to the spokes v530i the Wheel by staples 51. The rings are concentric, and the inions' 16 or 30, asfthe `case may be, are slidable on the shafts 12 or 2S. The arrangement is `the same .-for each .ivheeh and, as shown at 5 3' Ain Fig 4, the shaft 12 is square' over a portion`-=of itsflength, and the pinion 16. is provided with a square opening for receivv'ing the'shaft. Colla-rs 54 are arranged on the shaft, one on each side of the pinion, and tlie"collars are held in `place by set screivs 55. The pilnions may be moved radially of the wheels' to engage them with either series of gear teeth, and when inposition, maybe held by the collars 54. When the pinions are'engaged with the inner rings, less power With more speed isobtained, while; when engaged with the outer rings, a slower speed with more power is obtained.

I claimt l. In a. device of the character specified,- an axle provided at each end with a fork, each arm' of th'efforl having a vertical bearing at its free" end, thebearings of each fork being in alinement, a spindle at each -end of the aXl'e having a bearing sleeve between the arms ot' the adjacent fork and in alinement. with the bearings of the arms, a through the hearings, and having a marginal flange engaging the upper vface of the upper arm, a wheel jouriialed o'n each spindle, a ring arranged concentric'ally on the inner face of each Wheeh,

'shaft for meshing with the gear rings, said pinion beingmovable longitudinally of the shaft, and rotating therewith` collars` on each shaft above and below the pinion, means for holding the collars in adjusted position, a cross shaft, and a driving connection between each end of the crcss shaft and the adjacent vertical shaft.

2. In a device of the character specified, an axle'provided at each end with a fork, each arm of the fork having a vertical bearing at its free end, the bearings of each fork being in alinement` a spindle at each end of the axle having a bearing sleeve between thle arms of the adjacent fork and in alineineiit .with the bearings of the arms, a bushingpassing through the bearings and having a marginal flange engaging the upper .face of the upper arm, a'ivheel journaled on eachv spindle,y a ring arranged concentrically on the inner face of each Wheel, each ring having ya pluralityof annular series of gear teeth, a vertical shaft passing through each bushing, a pinion on eac shaft for meshing with tlie gear rings, said pinion being movable longitudinally of the shaft, and rotating therewith, means for securingthe pinion in adjusted position, a cross shaft, and a driving connection'be-y tween each end of the cross shaft and the adjacent vertical shaft..

'3. In a device of the character specified,

an axle, a spindle at each end of the axle, -z

a vertical shaft pivotally connecting each spindle with the adjacent end of the axle, a wheel oneach spindle, a plurality of concentric gear rings on each Wheel, a pinion slidable on each vertical shaft for engaging the rings, means for securing the pinion i'n adjusted position', a cross shaft, and a driving 'connection between each end of the cross shaft and the adjacent vertical shaft.

JOHN HETTRCH.

Witnesses:

SoLoN C. KEMON, C. E. TnAINed' 

